Safety device for infants



Feb. 15, 1944.

M. C. WILKINSON SAFETY DEVICE FoR INFANTS Filed April 25; 1942 Flea,

7 INVENTOR mnmnsr c. w/urwsa v ATTORNEY s.

Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY DEVICE FOR INFANTS Margaret 0. Wilkinson, Wellesley Hills, Mass.

Application April 25, 1942, Serial No. 440,437

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to safety devices used in the care of infants and embodies, more specifically, an improved appliance by means of which the infant may b retained in its bed in a desired position and in such fashion as to avoid the possibility of occasioning any harm to the infant.

Devices of this general nature have heretofore been designed and are available on the market. which devices consist of a garment having a neck opening and in which the infant is fastened so that its head protrudes while the garment is securely tied to the bed.

Occasions have arisen, in the use of these presently available devices, where the infant has been harmed, the danger residingin the possibility of strangulation resulting should the infant get its hand through the neck opening and, by movement of the body, cause pressure to be applied to the throat.

An object of the present invention is to provide a safety device by means of which the infant may be maintained effectively in a desired position in bed while allowing sufficient freedom of movement for the infant and without danger of harm or injury.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character by means of which the infant may be retained in either a sitting position or in a position lying in its bed, the device being simple to attach and detach from its normal position in the bed and being readily and inexpensively manufactured.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent as it is described in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the present invention, showing its application to an infant's bed and illustrating the manner in which the infant is held in a desired position;

Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which the device may be utilized to maintain the infant in a sitting position; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the elements of the device are assembled.

Referring to the above drawing, the safety device of the present invention is shown as being formed of a sheet III, which may be of any suit able material, and provided with head and foot ties II and 12 respectively, and with intermediate side ties l3 and head and foot side ties l4 and I5 respectively. Suitably positioned upon the sheet I0, a retaining member It is provided. The retaining member preferably consists of the infants undershirt, which may be provided with buttons ll to facilitate placing the infant therein, and which is securely fastened to the sheet by stitching or the like as illustrated at Hi.

When the infant is put to bed, it is placed as shown in Fig. 1 and secured in the retaining device I6 and the bed covers may then be secured in position so that the infant cannot kick them off. As a result, the infant will be retained effectively beneath the covers and allowed suflicient freedom of movement yet prevented from becoming uncovered.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the device may be used to maintain the infant in a sitting position simply by releasing the ties H and M. The ties I2, l3,

and I5 then hold the infant in the sitting posi-- tion. The side ties l4 may also be used to help retain the infant in sitting position by securing them to the upper sides of the bed in a manner which will be readily apparent.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention provides a safety device by means of which an infant may be held in any desired position in bed without the possibility of bodily harm being occasioned the infant and while affording a desired freedom of movement. This is accompanied, of course, by the corresponding facility of fastening the bed covers so that the infant may be protected during its sleep.

While the invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limited save as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

An infant safety device comprising a sheet, means at the ends of the sheet to secure the same to a bed, means intermediate the ends of the sheet to secure the same to the bed, and a retaining device comprising a body portion formed with a neck and armholes and secured to the sheetintermediate the ends thereof upon one sidev only thereof and formed to receive an infant. said retaining device being secured to the sheet above the transverse plane in which the intermediate securing devices are located, whereby the infant may be held in a sitting position and W111 lie wholly upon one side of the sheet.

MARGARET C. WILKINSON. 

